Jordan Fears Three Middle East Civil Wars

washington post ^ | November 27, 2006 | Marc Kaufman

[Flavius]

By Marc Kaufman Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, November 27, 2006; A14

Jordan's King Abdullah, who will host President Bush this week during emergency talks on Iraq, said yesterday that the Middle East faces the prospect of three simultaneous civil wars erupting.

"We're juggling with the strong potential of three civil wars in the region, whether it's the Palestinians, that of Lebanon, or of Iraq," the Jordanian king said on ABC's "This Week."

He said that as a result, "something dramatic" had to come out of this week's Amman meetings between Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "I don't think we're in a position where we can come back and revisit the problem in early 2007," he told interviewer George Stephanopoulos.

However dire the situation in Iraq, Abdullah said he's more worried about the escalating violence in Lebanon and the battles between the Israelis and Palestinians.

"When it comes to things exploding out of control, I would put today, as we stand, Palestine and probably a close tie with Lebanon," he said. "Iraq, funny enough, although as concerned as I am with Iraq and the major problems that might bring to us, is in third position."

[Flavius]

hmm greater persia

[GSlob]

I could not think of another area that would benefit more from a good old-fashioned civil war. A civil war would, by definition, last longer, and be more decisive in its results, than recent Israeli-hezbolla dust-up. The area is organized along the tribal and sectarian lines - may those excessively afflicted with tribalism and sectarianism reciprocally exterminate each other [in a good old civil war]. The prospect should be welcomed and promoted.

[Dustbunny]

If there is a civil war in the Middle East we need to keep out of it.

We also need to step up drilling for oil so we are no longer dependent on the Middle East.

[GSlob]

'we need to keep out of it." - why bother taking part in it? just set it up and then take good care that it lasts, lasts and lasts.

[LibWhacker]

Ninety-second animated map showing the various empires in Middle East during the last 5,000 years:

http://mapsofwar.com/ind/imperial-history.html

[sure_fine]

"I could not think of another area that would benefit more from a good old-fashioned civil war"



I can't either, and the sooner the better

[darth]

I beg to differ with my learned fellow Freepers. The islamonazis are threatened with defeat because stable governments in the muslim world can hunt them down very effectively, e.g., in Jordan. We have captured letters and videos where the islamonazis say that their survival strategy is to create war and chaos in order to prevent the birth of stable democracies. Our supporters and allies in the region will become the first victims of such civil wars. We need local allies in order to kill or capture the islamonazis in this world-wide guerilla war.